Autumn Lawn Care Guide

With Autumn on us, it is essential you know how to care for your lawn these coming months. Your lawn has been through it this summer, and needs some proper TLC to get it back on track. Most of the work now will be preparing it for the colder months when it will become more dormant. Here are a few top tips to care for your lawn this Autumn. 

Aerate
We all spend a lot of time on our lawns in the summer, from playing a game of cricket with the family, to lounging about and playing with your pet. All of this foot traffic means that the soil on your lawn could be compacted, reducing the amount of water, oxygen and nutrients the roots are receiving. This Autumn, you must make sure to aerate your lawn to allow the roots to get the nutrients they need. To help this process, drive a garden fork into the lawn and give it a wiggle to create fractures in the soil. Repeat this across your lawn to promote root growth and allow for oxygen and water to penetrate the soil.

Get rid of weeds
Many weeds have probably come through your lawn over the summer and Autumn is the best time to get rid of them! Make sure to apply a herbicide appropriate for your garden or remove the weeds by hand. 

Diseases and Pests
Over the long hot summer, diseases and pests could have made their way into your lawn. Make sure to keep your lawn healthy and well fed to combat diseases, or you can use a  fungicide that is best suited for your lawn. For pests, identify the species and then apply the right insecticide to combat them. 

Mow your lawn
In the Autumn, the weather cools down, which means your grass will start becoming dormant and will slow its growth. This means you will be mowing less frequently. Make sure to raise your mower height to allow for a larger leaf surface area so your lawn can absorb sunlight and nutrients.

Watering
Just because it’s cooler, doesn’t mean you don’t have to water your lawn! Autumn can be just as drying as summer so make sure to water your lawn in the morning twice a week. As well as keep your lawn healthy, this will also help to avoid fungus growing overnight. 

Fertilise
Fertilising your lawn at the start of Autumn is the best way to give your lawn some much needed TLC. Fertilising in Autumn can make your lawn stronger, more cold resistant and helps it recover from the stress of summer. For warm-season grass, it is best to fertilise with slow release fertilisers. For cool-season grasses, any sort of nutrient packed fertiliser will do.